BIG PINE KEY, Fla. – From Key Largo to Key West, anglers from all over the country flock to this string of tiny mangrove islands in search of bonefish, tarpon, permit and much more.

We left the marina just after sunrise on Tuesday aboard Capt. Chris Duncan’s flat boat. The wind was a stiff 20 miles per hour out of the north, making conditions difficult. Duncan pulled up his Yamaha engine and started to pole along the east side of Sugarloaf Key, keeping the island between us and the wind.

As we moved along the mangroves, we startled herons and egrets. Cormorants fished the deeper channels nearby looking for baitfish; we were looking for bonefish. Bonefish is one of the most sought-after species in the Keys, a tenacious fighter that is prized among light tackle enthusiasts as well as fly fishermen.

“You don’t really fish for bones,” said the skipper, “you hunt them.”

These are very wary fish, so you have to sneak up on them, and just getting close enough to see them is an art. They blend in so well with the bottom that unless you know what you’re looking for they’re impossible to see, especially on a windy day when the water is churning.

Lemon and nurse sharks come within sight, as do rays, needlefish and small barracudas, but no bones. Duncan put the engine down and we were off again, this time heading west to the Gulf side of the Keys, to fish the back country. Chris Duncan advertises back-country fishing as a specialty for his Native Charters.

We came to a stop off Barracuda Key and Duncan started to pole. After about a half-hour, Duncan yelled, “There, a school of bones at two o’clock.”

We cast shrimp with our light-tackle spinning outfits in front of the school, but they went right by.It wasn’t until the tide went slack that we started seeing more and more bones.

“A bone at 12 o’clock, about 30 feet,” Duncan would yell.

I couldn’t see them, but cast where he told me anyway. I kept missing the spot.

Finally, I was getting the hang of it. The shrimp we were casting had to hit the bottom.

“You have to wait and then reel slowly,” said the captain.

There was another fish at one o’clock, said Duncan.

“Where?” I yelled in frustration.

He pointed to a dark area on the flats and said just throw it there.

“Perfect,” he said, and within two seconds the line went tight. I set the hook and watched the line run. It ran and ran until I felt the drag must be loose.

“Don’t touch that drag, that is a big fish,” screamed Duncan.

It was like hooking a torpedo. The bonefish ran around the 17-foot flat boot a couple of times, and after 20 minutes, we finally saw how big the bonefish really was when it made a pass alongside the boat. Duncan got excited and grabbed the net. “Can’t lose this one,” he said.

After another few minutes, the fish was in the boat. It was 32 inches long and weighed a little over 13 pounds.

After a few pictures and one last look, the big bonefish was released. It was a very quick and happy ride back to the marina.

Bonefish can be taken year-round in the waters in and around the Lower Keys, and along with tarpon and permit, it is about as much fun as anyone is allowed to have.